Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-07-15
THE sTocK-RANcH.
Eeedi,.y Horses.

AS rule the horse requires about 2 per
cent. of his weight in food daily, thous-
and pound horse eating twenty pounds,
which should be about half hay and half
grain, lessening the quantity when stand
ing idle. The horses stomach being the
smallest known to comparative anatomy,
he should have his three meals day. Do
not feed horse as you would COW with
her series of large stomachs designed for
storing away surplus food. Oats are too
little appreciated by horse owners. Corn
is not a natural food for the horse; it is too
fattenlng, and fat horse is not a useful
horse. The street. car horses of Boston are
well-fed and last better than the average
horse on the farm. Thirteen miles is about
the extent of days work for horse that
is in harness seven days in the week, and
the car owners have learned this and do
not try to exceed it. Any man who at
tempts to make his horse do more than this
and follows it will fail. In driving on the
road it is speed that kills. Driving five
miles i'll ten minutes less time than it ought
to take gives pain and shortens life. Some
horses eat like some men-too fast. He
had an unpatented method for curing the
habit: keep a peck of cobble stones in the
manager, among which the oats are poured,
and the horse will require time for separat-
ing the grain from the rocks. He had tried
to induce Boston millers 10 introduce roll
lers into their mills for crushing oats, but
thus far without success. Crushed oats
make the best feed in the world for horse,
and would be in demand if procurable.
Watering Immediately before or immedi-
ately after eating is bad for the horse. Be-
fore eating cold water chills the stomach
and units itfor the digestive process; while
water poured down upon a full stomach
washes the contents along too fast, causing
waste of food, and, if followed by immedi-
ate driving, that most disgusting complaint,
scours. Water should be given little at a
time, and often. Most horses drink more
than they need because they are allowed to
become too dry or too tired. A tired horse
may be trusted to eat but not always to
drink. Never let your horse stand without
food while you rush to your own dinner
Nem England Farmer.
Sheep ftaistny IL. Montana.
In discussing the subject of raising
sheep to the best advantage on the ranges
in Montana, The Rocky Mountain Has
| 6a7edm0n says: One of the most impor-
tant items connected with wool-growing, is
giving the proper attention at lambing
time. He that succeeds best raises the
most lambs, and to make q complete sue
The plan which was in practice few years
ago, of lalnbing on the range, is generally
disapproved. 1t is better to have the eve
band at the home ranch, in sheds that will
turn rain for the ewes during the night. 1t
pays to have sufficient help to gather the
weak lambs as they drop during the day
and care for them. In fact all the weak
ones should be taken in hand aud fed some
milk until they are strong enough to follow
and suck the eve. Save the lambs and
your flock will double its number and value
in two seasons at least. A location for
wool growing in this country does not
necessarily have 10 be upon or by the side
OF a stream of water. Sheep do not care 10
drink oftener than once day, and they
prefer to have it in the middle of the day.
When the location for sheep range can be
SO that the sheep can go in one direction
| two or three miles before hey reach water,
and remain leisurely at the watering-place
an hour or more about noon-t time, they will
thrive best. A flock of sheep will travel
and feed about three miles III the forenoon.
and about the same distance in the after
noon, allowing from one to two hours for
rest at noontime. Where locations can be
arranged for grazing in this manner, the
herler can manage three thousand very
easily. For atlocl of, say, three OF four
thousand an area of six to seven miles
square is small enough. With the location
Of sheds and corrals midway between two
streams six OF seven miles apart, flock OF
three to four thousand may be managed
through the summer by one herder, and
through the winter two men should be
sufficient.